Old style of stitching redwork has modern revival

By Terry Maurer, What's it Worth?

Q. I found this quilt at a local thrift store and thought it was a good buy. It has all the U. S. presidents through Bill Clinton. It measures 5.5 feet by 11 feet. Do you know what the value might be and is there any background What's It Worth can provide? -- Lou in Kennewick.

A. What you have is an example of American "redwork" -- a particular style of hand stitching that in this case is in the form of a quilt.

Red embroidery on a white background has been around for hundreds of years -- think European folk costumes. In this country the figural designs in red thread on white cotton are what's typical of redwork.

Much of what is seen today is in quilt form but there are pillowcases, wall hangings and other items done by modern stitchers. Back in the 19th century, redwork was even more common and in 1885 a book called The Ladies' Manual of Fancy Work had directions for making pen wipers, hair receivers, work baskets and book covers -- along with quilts.

Redwork was a craft craze that swept across America between 1860 and the 1930s. There were two events that helped popularize redwork in America during those years. One was the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, the other was the world's fair in Buffalo, New York in 1901.

In Philadelphia, an exhibit from England's Royal School of Needlework fired imaginations. At the Buffalo World's Fair, redwork widely was exhibited and patterns were available for sale. When President McKinley was assassinated while visiting the fair's Temple of Music, a memorial panel was quickly made available for stitchers to incorporate into their work.

Although redwork's popularity died off just before World War II, it became popular again near the turn of the 21st century and that's when this quilt was done, as one square attributes it to the "Lewis County Democrats" and is dated 1995.

A number of recent pattern books have helped drive the revival, including Presidential Redwork: A Stitch in Time, published by the American Quilter's Society in 2000.

Value is in the eye of the beholder when it comes to objects of recent date. We'd estimate this large quilt to retail between $100 and $200.

Q. This metal license plate is an oldie, dated 1916. And, I've always thought is was somewhat unusual, being a dealer plate. Can you provide some background and a possible value? -- Archie in Kennewick.

A. Your license plate is certainly not ordinary. In addition to being a plate used by dealers, it was made in the first year that Washington actually issued license plates for vehicles.

Here's the thumbnail history -- courtesy of the Washington State Department of Licensing.

In 1905, the Division of Motor Vehicles was created by the Legislature and the secretary of state issued all licenses personally. The story of Washington license plates takes many odd twists and turns.

At first you paid $2 a year and made your own "plate." They could be metal, wood, leather or just the issued number stenciled on the front and rear of the vehicle. In the first year, 763 vehicles were registered.

In 1916, Washington standardized things and started issuing metal plates with the vehicle registration. By then 46,000 vehicles were licensed, a 60-fold increase from a decade earlier.

By 1921, the Legislature changed the date of expiration of all plates to Dec. 31. That required another series of plates be made. About 140,000 new plates were delivered all at once to Olympia (they were issued from the capital in those days) and stored in the basement of the Capitol building.

There was so much weight, the floor actually started to sink and the plates had to be moved in a massive weekend effort to prevent permanent damage.

In 1923 the state started having the plates made by prison labor in Walla Walla. That saved a considerable sum.

Many readers will remember the days when the annual "tabs" were little metal squares you clamped on the the plate -- not today's stickers.

One year -- 1963 -- those tabs caused a furor, when it was discovered that new plates had no space provided for the validation tabs. So, the word "Washington" on the plate was shortened to "Wash."

Protests poured in from citizens and drivers. The Legislature got an ear-full. In 1965, a bill was passed prohibiting the use of the abbreviation "Wash" on vehicle license plates.

Old license plates are quite collectible and porcelain examples can sell for hundreds of dollars. An early metal dealer's plate like this would be priced at $100 and $150 at a shop or show. It might be worth even more to a specialist collector.

w Terry Maurer, a Tri-Cities personal property appraiser and antique dealer, is a member of the Certified Appraisers Guild of America. You may submit your antiques and collectible questions to What's It Worth by e-mail to whatsitworth@ clearwire.net

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Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009

Old style of stitching redwork has modern revival

By Terry Maurer, What's it Worth?